Colombia. The CASA Colombia Reference is a certification tool of the Colombian Council for Sustainable Construction (CCCS) for housing solutions and as a solution to comply with the regulations (Resolution 549/15 and the Guide for saving water and energy in new buildings), it was included within the Bancolombia financing line for construction projects that seek a certification in sustainability.
"This incentive by Bancolombia complements the successful market transformation that the Colombian Council for Sustainable Construction, and with the active participation of our Members, has achieved from the LEED Program for Colombia and we hope to receive a great boost with the CASA Colombia Reference. The latter aims to improve the quality of housing and demonstrate the benefits of promoting from regulation to sustainable social housing in Colombia," said Cristina Gamboa, Executive Director of the Colombian Council for Sustainable Construction (CCCS).
On the occasion of Bancolombia's initiative, the CCCS launched on May 31 an explanatory video on the different certification systems present in the Colombian market to promote them and train the industry in this regard. These systems are LEED, HQE (Haute Qualité Environnementale: High Environmental Quality), WELL Building Standard, Living Building Challenge, EDGE and Referencial CASA Colombia.
Bancolombia's offer explicitly contemplates by the bank the LEED system (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which is the main certification system in sustainable construction used in Colombia (6.3 million square meters in 101 real estate projects certified in sustainable construction with LEED® and 237 in process, of +200 different investors and presence in 44 cities and 22 departments of Colombia) and the new system for efficiencies in water, energy and materials EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Eficiencies) of the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Bancolombia financing offer
In Bancolombia's quest to be a sustainable bank, this entity offers preferential financing rates for both builders and buyers of sustainable homes.
The offer includes financing with preferential rates of construction projects that seek a sustainability certification, or that are approved as sustainable construction projects by bancolombia's Sustainability Directorate. In this same sense, there is a lower rate of financing for the acquisition of eco-technologies implemented in the projects through the Bancolombia green line, in case the entire project is not approved as a sustainable construction.
As an additional benefit, sustainable construction projects will have a special visibility of the project in the new housing portal.
Likewise, the "Sustainable Housing" product is available to buyers of sustainable real estate solutions, which have been financed by Bancolombia, in which they will receive an additional benefit in the rate of their credit or lease for the first seven years.
To have all these benefits, builders through their business contacts in the bank, must submit the projects for approval of the sustainability management, through two options:
- Submit documentation proving the sustainability certification process, such as LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), REFERENCIAL CASA Colombia, the Colombian Council of Sustainable Construction (CCCS) or certification with the EDGE tool (Excellence in Design for Greater Eficiencies) of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), among others.
- Present the sustainability criteria that your project has for the evaluation committee, according to the requirements defined by bancolombia's sustainability management.
- In CONSTRUVERDE 2017 the CASA Colombia Referential projects will be announced
Within the framework of the eighth version of CONSTRUVERDE Colombia "International Forum & Expo on Sustainable Design and Construction", the most important event in design, construction and sustainable urbanism in the country and the region, the pilot projects of the CASA Colombia Referential of the CCCS will be announced as the first structured certification system to facilitate the cost-efficient structuring of new housing projects, and includes social and priority housing.
The CASA Colombia Benchmark also promotes the measurement and verification of specific sustainability indicators and provides solutions to the market as a management model with a higher level of sustainability and in compliance with the regulations associated with the sustainable construction of the country (Decree 1285/15 and Res. 549/15 of the Ministry of Housing, City and Territory). Find here the information of Referencial CASA Colombia
Construverde will be held in Bogotá, on Wednesday, August 9 and Thursday, August 10, 2017 at El Cubo de Colsubsidio, a building certified in sustainable construction with LEED, Gold level. www.construverde.co
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